Palestinian Authority security forces yesterday summoned two prominent anti-corruption activists for interrogation, sparking condemnation from several Palestinian civil societies (NGOs) and human rights activists.
The two, Azmi Shuaibi and Isam Haj-Hussein, are the heads of The Coalition for Accountability and Integrity (AMAN), a Palestinian NGO that seeks to combat corruption and promote integrity, transparency and accountability in Palestinian society.
In Ramallah, several Palestinians protested the summoning of the two activists and called for prosecuting Palestinian officials suspected of involvement in financial corruption.
The protesters said the activists were summoned for interrogation because they had exposed the involvement of the office of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in a corruption case concerning dates produced in West Bank settlements.
According to AMAN, Shuaibi and Haj-Hussein were summoned for interrogation about a report the group released on May 17, titled “Reality of Integrity and Anti-Corruption in Palestine 2022.”
The group said Shuabi, who serves as an adviser to AMAN’s board of directors for anti-corruption affairs, and Haj-Hussein, AMAN’s executive director, were summoned for interrogation after Abbas’s office filed a complaint against them for “defamation.”
The issue of 'whitewashing' West Bank-grown dates
The complaint referred specifically to the section in the AMAN report that dealt with the issue of “whitewashing” dates produced in settlements in the West Bank. According to unconfirmed reports in the Palestinian media, a number of senior Palestinian officials, including cabinet ministers, were involved in marketing the dates and changing their origin as Palestinian to bypass boycotts of settlement goods.
In its recent report, AMAN hinted that the PA leadership was trying to cover up the scandal. “The pursuit of the case of money laundering regarding colonies’ dates has not ended for more than three years,” the report claimed. “But in 2022 it took a different turn. Instead of referring the implicated individuals to the courts, it seems to be more of settling scores, since the assets of one of the major investors in the dates and marketing sector were seized. The dates case has turned from a legal pursuit into blackmail…to seize the property by some senior [Palestinian] officials.”Responding to the interrogation, AMAN warned of attempts by the PA to restrict the space of civil society organizations regarding issuing objective reports. “This [restriction] is disrupting their work and activities, thus contravening the guarantees set forth in the Palestinian Basic Law, Law of Charitable Associations and NGOs and the freedom of opinion and expression,” it said in a statement.
“AMAN issues its annual reports to provide recommendations to Palestinian decision-makers and stakeholders parties, to help them adopt suitable procedures and measures to strengthen the national system of integrity and corruption prevention.”
The Palestinian NGOs Network, which includes more than 140 institutions, condemned the PA for interrogating the two anti-corruption activists for allegedly slandering the Palestinian leadership. “The Network considers the summons process as an infringement on the freedom of opinion and expression,” the group said in a statement. “This is an attempt to restrict the work of Palestinian civil society. It’s also a flagrant violation of Palestinian and international laws.”